William O. Ware Lodge of Research, Covington, KY July 30th

I'll be speaking at the William O. Ware Lodge of Research No. 999 in Covington, Kentucky (just outside of Cincinnati) on July 30th at 7:30. Looking forward to it!

Meanwhile, Alice and I will be in San Antonio, TX this week for the Romance Writers of America convention.

Kansas City, MO Scottish Rite Temple Radio Interview

Catch the radio interview on KCUR in Kansas City, MO about the history of the Kansas City Scottish Rite Temple. Featured are Will Moore, author of Masonic Temples, and Bob Harmon, personal representative of the SGIG Valley of Kansas City.

Click here.

Former Treasurer Accused of Stealing $37,000 From Wisconsin Lodge

An Omro man accused of taking funds from the Omro Masons and using them to renovate his residence is now facing criminal charges.

From the Northwestern.com website in Wisconsin:

John R. Hoeft, 64, is charged in Winnebago County Circuit Court with theft from a business setting of more than $10,000. If convicted, he faces 10 years in prison and $25,000.

According to the criminal complaint, Hoeft was the treasurer for the Masonic Lodge in Omro when the organization's charter was stripped it was taken over by the Royal Arch Masons State Chapter due to low enrollment. In the process, the Omro chapter's financial records were examined and it was discovered nearly $40,000 was missing.

Further examination revealed that between August 2011 and October 2012, nine checks were written to either Hoeft or JRH Promotions, Hoeft's business. The checks totaled $36,893. The checks were all signed by Hoeft and three were also signed by Raymond Hoeft, who was also a member of the organization.

When police spoke with a trustee of the Omro Masons, he said membership was so low, only the Hoefts and himself were present at meetings and no financial decisions were made. He said the checks were never approved.

Hoeft told police he became aware in June 2012 that the Omro Masons would be losing their charter due to low enrollment He said over the course of one-and-a-half years, he deposited money into his account or the JRH Promotions account from the Omro Mason's account to pay for renovations on his house, mostly for windows and doors.

Hoeft acknowledged he did not have the Mason's permission to use the money for renovations. He also told police that although his father, Raymond Hoeft, pre-signed the checks, he did not know what they were used for. Raymond Hoeft died in December 2012.

Hoeft will make his first court appearance on July 28.

Masonic Society and Philalethes Team Up Sept. 13th, 2014

The Masonic Society and The Philalethes Society will co-sponsor a Masonic symposium on September 13, 2014 to be held at the Valley of Chicago Scottish Rite Cathedral in Bloomingdale, IL. The symposium will feature four presentations and will conclude with a banquet that evening. Scheduled to make presentations are Alton Roundtree, Editor of The Phylaxis , Shawn Eyer, Editor of The Philalethes Society Maganzine, Steven Harrison, Editor of The Missouri Freemason, and Mark Robbins, Education Officer for the Grand Lodge of Minnesota. Andrew Hammer, author of Observing the Craft, will be the keynote speaker at the banquet.

Registration is $15.00, which includes a Continental breakfast, and all Freemasons are invited. The catering for the banquet is still being arranged and the ticket price and menu will be available within a few days. Registration for the symposium will begin on Friday, July 18 and will be available only at the Eventbrite website below. There will be no mail or telephone reservations available.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/masonic-society-philalethes-society-symposium-tickets-7769802689

Within a few days, there will be a webpage that will provide all of the details including more extensive biographies of the presenters and a brief synopsis of their presentations. This will be an enjoyable day of education and fellowship. There will be one hundred reservations available. Please share this information with your brethren and Masonic organizations.

UGLE Restores Recognition of GLNF

The United Grand Lodge of England on June 11th has restored recognition of the Grande Loge Nationale Française, according to François Koch on his La Lumiere blog.  Several US grand lodges, including Indiana, have restored recognition of the embattled GLNF already after they gave former Grand Master Stifani the boot and did much internal work to fix their problems. But for the UGLE to re-recognize GLNF is major news, making the GLNF again the only major recognized grand lodge (of a dozen or so) in France. This should come as a relief to the brethren of France.

H/T to Mohamad Yatim

Indiana Lodges and the Indianapolis Colts Team Up

The Grand Lodge of Indiana is partnering with the Indianapolis Colts to offer our membership a very exciting opportunity! Mark your calendars for Saturday, August 23rd at 8 pm for Masonic Day at Lucas Oil Stadium! This is not only a fun event for our membership but also an extraordinary opportunity to spread the word about Indiana Freemasonry in a very big way. 

This prime time game against the New Orleans Saints will begin at 8 pm and will be televised on CBS. The first 400 freemasons (18 and older) who purchase tickets will get to go on field in full regalia for the Flag Presentation before the game, and while the ceremony is being televised the announcers will share details about freemasonry. You may represent with the regalia of whichever Masonic Body you choose. In addition to that, we will have informational booths in two locations upstairs, two locations downstairs and a spot in Touchdown Town outside in the tailgate area! These booths will provide information about freemasonry, as well as all of our appendant bodies and youth organizations.

Ticket are available on the Grand Lodge website in 3 price ranges, $61.00, $98.00 and $136.00. We encourage individual members to purchase tickets for themselves and for family members, and we also encourage local Bodies to purchase tickets for their officers! Make this an event in your uniforms, Aprons and Jewels! In addition, we will have an opportunity to go down onto the field after the game for about 30 minutes for post game photos.

The deadline to purchase tickets is July 1st and they are going fast, so don't wait, get yours now. This opportunity is one we do not want to let slip by, so we hope you will join us at Lucas Oil Stadium on August 23rd for Masonic Day.  Go to www.IndianaFreemasons.com to order yours.

Man Sets Himself On Fire While Trying To Burn Down Lodge

From the Daily Mail

A bumbling arson suspect is feeling the burn after he appears to have set himself on fire while trying to burn down a building in Ohio last week.

Adding significant insult to the clumsy injury is the fact that it appears that this is the second time the alleged firebug has failed to burn down the same building, a Masonic Temple in West Toledo.

And not only did the ham-handed flame-thrower set himself on fire while failing to burn down the temple, video of the entire humiliating incident was recorded by surveillance cameras - and released onto the Internet by authorities looking to track down the culprit.According to authorities in West Toledo, the suspect attempted to burn down the Masonic temple at 5025 Secor Road about 4:56 a.m. Monday.

Surveillance cameras recorded the unidentified suspect drive up to the temple, get out of his vehicle and walk towards the building. 

Shortly after the suspects walks towards the building, a burst of light is seen coming from the side of the Temple as the suspect is seen scampering away.

When the fire appears to burn out, the suspect is seen running towards the building, apparently to try again. When he backed away, the man's hand appeared to be on fire.He then jumped in his car and drove off.

Police in West Toledo say that fire officials determined that the suspect had used a patio brick with a burning rag attached to it to break a window at the temple on the north side of the building. The rag, officials say, was found on the lawn.

At the end of the day, the failed flaming brick did about $300 in damage. 

Authorities say someone attempted to set the same temple on fire on May 14. 

An investigation is ongoing to determine who attempted to set the building on fire, and whether the two attempts are related.

Saturday in Louisville 5/31

I'll be speaking in Louisville, KY on Saturday at the Scottish Rite. Light food will be available at 4:00PM, and I will start at around 4:45PM.

The Scottish Rite is located at 200 East Gray Street in Louisville.

Masonic Restoration Foundation Symposium 8/15-17

The Fifth Annual Masonic Restoration Foundation Symposium will be held in Cincinnati on August 15-17, 2014. Speakers and workshops focus on enabling Masons and Lodges to improve their Masonic experience. The cost of the symposium is $100, and this is a brethren-only event.

Link

http://www.mrfsymposium.org

This year's symposium will be jointly hosted by four Lodges:  Lodge Vitruvian No. 767 of Indiana, Caliburn Lodge No. 785 and Arts & Sciences Lodge No. 792 of Ohio, and Lodge Ad Lucem No. 812 of Pennsylvania.

Link

http://www.mrfsymposium.org/schedule

They represent the full spectrum of observant Lodges, from European Concept, to Traditional Observance. The support of the Grand Lodges of Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania are gratefully acknowledged.

Link

http://www.mrfsymposium.org/information

Make reservations at the Holiday Inn Cincinnati Airport Hotel at 1717 Airport Exchange Boulevard in Erlanger, Kentucky. Attendees should request the 2014 MRF Symposium rate of $92 per night when making their reservations.

Link

http://www.mrfsymposium.org/accommodations

Once you have registered for the Masonic Restoration Foundation Symposium, and made your reservations with the Holiday Inn Cincinnati Airport Hotel, go to the Facebook event page and indicate you are going.

Link

http://www.facebook.com/events/1439654346270785/1445546855681534

Sir Knight Carson Smith Makes Cover of KT Magazine

My good friend, Brother and Sir Knight Carson Smith, PC, KYCH, KCT made the cover of this month's Knight Templar magazine, posing with Grand Master David Goodwin. Carson is featured for his incredible recruitment efforts, bringing in 135 petitioners for the Order of the Temple since his own knighting on November 8, 2004. During the same period he has been the top line signer for the equivalent number of petitioners for the degrees of the Scottish Rite. When asked for the secret of his successful recruitment, he answers simply, "I ask." He has developed a presentation for a Lodge of Master Masons entitled 'The Three Minute Drill.' It is available by request at carson.c.smith@gmail.com.

Carson is also this year's Master of Indianapolis' Lodge Vitruvian #767, Indiana's only European Concept Lodge.

Congratulations, my friend!

Summer International Masonic Workshop in Greece, 8/27-31, 2014

The list of Keynote Speakers at the Summer 2014 International Masonic Workshop that will be held in Greece, between Wednesday August 27th and Sunday August 31st 2014, has been finalized. The organizers have invited several distinguished speakers, who will deliver papers and lectures:

 

Antti Talvitie, Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of Finland and Past Master of the Research Lodge Minerva Lodge No. 27, under the Grand Lodge of Finland: «Freemasonry: an ever more secular society».

 

Dr. Anna Zarkada, Assistant Professor of Marketing in the Department of Business Administration, in the Athens University of Economics and Business. Her current work focuses on personal branding, corporate reputation co-production on Web2.0, service pricing and the philosophical foundations of key marketing constructs: «Crafting the Craft's reputation in the 21st century».

 

Robert Bashford, Leading Masonic researcher and lecturer, Past Grand Officer of the Grand Lodge of Ireland, and editor of the renowned masonic website irishfreemasonry.com: «The Dissemination of Masonic Knowledge in the 21st Century».

 

Dr. Evelin Durie, Doctor of Political Science and History, academic researcher and lecturer, and author of a pioneer in Greek academic context doctoral thesis that focused on the freemasonry in the Ionian Islands: «The Masonic community inCorfu at the time of the Napoleonic occupation (1807-1814). Between a Napoleonic and a ‘local’ lodge».

 

Dr. Ric Berman, author of the Foundations of Modern Freemasonry and Schism, Past Master of the Marquis of Dalhousie lodge, No. 1159, and Temple of Athene Lodge, No. 9541, the Middlesex Research Lodge, Treasurer of Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076, and holder of Provincial and London Grand Rank: «The Grand Architects».

 

John Belton, Leading Masonic researcher and lecturer, founding Senior Warden of Internet Lodge 9659 under the United Grand Lodge of England, and also a member of Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076, Lodge Ellangown 716 in Scotland and of other orders: «Revolutionary and Socialist Fraternalism 1848 - 1870: London to the Italian Risorgimento».

 

The Honorary Keynote Speaker of the Workshop, Dr. Mike Kearsley, Secretary of Quator Coronati Lodge No. 2076 and appointed Prestonian Lecturer for 2014, will present some aspects of his prestonian lecture: «1814 - Consolidation and Change. The first year of the United Grand Lodge of England», during a specially designed unique session named «Food for Thought», in attendance by the participants and their accompanied persons.

 

Following the keynote presentations, the program of the Workshop will include:

                                                                                                                                                         

Thematic Sessions: Individual paper presentations that will be organized into thematic areas. Papers on a common topic, or representing different perspectives on an issue, will be presented sequentially in a session.

 

Roundtable Discussions: Invited distinguished speakers will have an assigned table during a session to review and discuss the most recent topics concerning Freemasonry.

 

Short papers presentations: Individual delegates will present their short papers.

 

The Summer International Masonic Workshop that will be held in Athens, Greece, between Wednesday August 27th and Sunday August 31st 2014, is being organized by PHILOTECTON.

 

PHILOTECTON is a voluntary association of Freemasons, who in attendance of many conferences, workshops, symposiums in Europe for many years, wish to expand their knowledge of Freemasonry and to establish various interdisciplinary events for studying the history, the philosophy and the symbolism of Freemasonry and to publish papers and lectures on various masonic topics.

 

PHILOTECTON, by the INTERNATIONAL MASONIC EVENTS project, aims to widen and deepen research in all aspects of Freemasonry: to broaden the focus of research, to encourage the work of academic and non-academic, freemason and non-freemason researchers and to organize workshops, symposiums, and conferences.

 

PHILOTECTON is not a Masonic organization. As is not involved itself in the legislative or ritualistic deliberations of any Masonic body, is confirming that the Summer International Masonic Workshop, that will be held in Athens, Greece, between Wednesday August 27th and Sunday August 31st, 2014, is not in any way a tyled event nor is there going to be any associated tyled meetings.

 

 

Further information: www.masonic-events.org 

               

 

Facebook page: facebook.com/masonicevents

Prince Hall Grand Lodge Building in Massachusetts Faces Foreclosure

A foreclosure auction has been scheduled for the Prince Hall Grand Lodge building in Dorchester, Massachusetts on Thursday, April 17, according to a legal notice

From the Boston Business Journal:

The 30,000-square-foot building is located on about one acre at 18-24 Washington St. The auction will be held on siteThe nonprofit organization took out a $300,000 mortgage in 2006 from Sovereign Bank, now Santander Bank. The note was recently sold to Northborough Capital Partners when the group failed to make payments.Shectman Halperin Savage LLP, the law firm representing the lender,and Lodge officials did not return calls seeking comment.On its website, the Prince Hall Grand Masonic Lodge calls itself the oldest black fraternal organization in North America.

A letter has been sent out to Prince Hall members, but it seems like awfully short notice. It reads as follows:

Greetings Prince Hall Family, Friends and Supporters;

May this email find you and yours in good health and spirit. As you may or may not know, the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge, Jurisdiction of Massachusetts is currently dealing with a serious crisis. Our Masonic Temple and adjacent land, located at 24 Washington Street Dorchester, Massachusetts is scheduled to be auctioned on April 17, 2014.

Like several other area organizations and churches we are not exempt from the negative effects of a bad economy. In our case and due largely to the actions of our past mortgage holder (Sovereign Bank), we are currently faced with foreclosure on our beloved Grand Lodge Temple.

In order to resolve this terrible crisis, your help in the way of monetary donations and prayers is necessary. If you would like to help the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge, Jurisdiction of Massachusetts (Where Prince Hall Freemasonry Worldwide Began) in this hour of great need with a tax-deductible donation, please click on the link. "

Click Here toDonate

Please donate whatever you can and please don't be modest. No donation is too big or small. Every act of generosity is needed and appreciated. Just click on the above link and make your donation using your PayPal account, credit or debit card.

Whether you are able to make a donation or not, please forward this plea to everyone you know. We can make it through these hard times with your help and generous donation.

If you prefer to use a check or money order, please make it payable to; The Prince Hall Foundation, Inc. and put "Building Relief Fund" in the memo section and send it to:
Prince Hall Grand Lodge
24 Washington Street
P.O. Box 227
Boston, MA 02121

No act of kindness however large or small will go unrecognized. Thank you in advance for your generosity and support. 

Sincerely, M.W. Compton R. Jones Grand Master
The Prince Hall Foundation is an IRS 501(c) 3 tax-exempt organization

Click Here to Donate

UPDATE:
Here is the link again. It worked for me:
https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_flow&SESSION=9HGUYlbxx16TaJcNdLJhccLJTFgJ__Rgg4JgMdoL-7RBshCKfRNtG2KQos8&dispatch=5885d80a13c0db1f8e263663d3faee8d8cdcf517b037b4502f6cc98f1ee6e5fb

Codes & Conspiracies: Freemasons Sunday at 10PM on AHC.

Alice and I were interviewed last April for onscreen segments of a show that is finally airing this next week. Even the title hadn't been picked at the time. Well, it finally airs this Sunday on the American Heroes Channel (formerly the Military Channel) at 10:00 PM. "Codes and Conspiracies: Freemasons" is a title only a mother could love.

For our parts, we were called in to discuss the role of Freemasonry during the American Revolution. They had me walk the procession route from Gatsby's Tavern in Alexandria, Virginia, down to Jones Point where the Masons laid the first cornerstone of the District of Columbia. It was nice to see the Parks Department has added some signage to the lighthouse explaining the significance of the place, along with a pane of glass which allows you to see the boundary marker hidden in the seawall - something you used to have to hike down into the flotsam of the Potomac River to get to.

I believe (it's been a year) that the director told me that Akram Elias, PGM of the District of Columbia, also appears on the show.

I make no promises about the content of the show, apart from our short parts. And even that, God knows what the editorial process did to us.

Masonic Society 5th Anniversary Jewel Promotion Ends 4/30/2014

For those of you who have not yet joined The Masonic Society, the promotion in which you receive the beautiful TMS 5th Anniversary commemorative jewel free of charge just for becoming a member will end on April 30. All membership applications sent by mail must be postmarked no later than April 30. If you register online, you must do so prior to midnight on April 30. The jewel will remain available in the TMS store for $12 (including shipping) for members who have not joined during this promotion period.

To join, go to www.themasonicsociety.com

GL of Virginia Prohibits Transgendered Petitioners

On March 20, 2014, Wayne S. Flora, Grand Master of Virginia, issued the following edict (as well as change in petition format) governing rules for membership of transgendered persons in lodges holden under the Grand Lodge of Virginia:

Freemasonry traditionally being a Fraternity of good men, no person shall become or remain a Mason who does not continue to remain both physically and legally a male or who does not continue to present and conduct himself as such. 

The petition for membership now requires members to avow that they were born a male and continue as a male.

To my knowledge, this is the first time a U.S. Grand Lodge has dealt with the issue of transgendered members. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

Read the whole edict here.

See also the blog entry by Jason Richards.

H/T Bill Hosler

Wilkes-Barre, PA Temple Catches Fire

The Masonic Temple in Wilkes-Barre. Pennsylvania caught fire on Tuesday, causing major damage to the historic building. Fire officials have not yet determined the cause.

From the Times Leader by Jerry Lynott:

A fire Tuesday afternoon damaged the Masonic Temple on North Franklin Street.

The cause is under investigation and a fire inspector was on scene around 2 p.m., roughly an hour after the alarm came in, said Wilkes-Barre Fire Chief Jay Delaney.

“It’s very preliminary. The fire started about an hour ago. We just got it under control,” Delaney said as smoke still wafted from the four-story brick building.

“We’re still having a tough time getting all the residual heat and smoke out of the building,” he said.

“It’s like a maze inside there with multiple, multiple rooms in there,” Delaney said. “A lot of the smoke and heat got trapped inside of the building, that’s why it took a long time to extinguish. But it’s under control. The fire’s out. We’re just mopping up right now.”

Three Masonic Lodges use the building, but it was unoccupied at the time of the fire. A meeting was scheduled for Tuesday night.

Delaney said there was power to the building and firefighters arrived to find heavy fire on the first floor. Black smoke billowed from the front door and windows.

Firefighters broke some windows, but overall they fought the fire in a manner to protect the historical value of the building. “We really tried to limit the damage to the building,” Delaney said.

Police closed North Franklin street between West Union and West Market streets during the fire. A steady stream of people walked by and some stopped to take photos.

A member of one of the lodges, who did not want to give his name, said the building is insured. He said there is a lobby on the first floor. Along the sides are five rooms and restrooms. A kitchen is located in the rear. There are meeting rooms on the second and third floors. The fourth floor is vacant.

“The building is so big we still had to do a search of the entire building, every single room of the building to make sure there was no one in there,” Delaney said.

"The Geometry of Mystery: Secret Societies, Ineffable Names, & Ancient Egypt"

Please Join Signet Chapter Royal Arch Masons For
"The Geometry of Mystery: Secret Societies, Ineffable Names, & Ancient Egypt"

Presented by guest lecturer
Adam G Kendall
Archivist of the Grand Lodge Library & Museum

Monday April 7th • 7.30pm
Social 6pm - Dinner 6.30pm - Stated Meeting & Lecture 7.30pm
Dinner is $12 for Non-Members & FREE to members of Signet Chapter

Van Nuys Masonic Center
14750 Sherman Way, Van Nuys, CA 91405-2214

This is a Tiled Event - You Must Be a Royal Arch Mason to attend

Reservations required - RSVP to email@sfvyrb.org

H/T David Williams

GL of Connecticut Encouraging Corporate Partnerships to Refurbish Older Temples

The Grand Lodge of Connecticut has instituted a wonderful parnership program with corporate sponsors to help rejuvinate older lodge halls. From the Tao of Masonry: (unless this is just one of Bro. Accousti's April Fools pranks)

One of the items that is being overlooked in the agenda for the upcoming Grand Lodge of Connecticut Annual Communication is a bold initiative to help finance the rejuvenation of the state’s older lodge buildings, a plan that may be the first of its kind in the North America, and which may be the key toward not only rejuvenating the buildings, but revitalizing the lodges, themselves.

Like most of the areas of the northeastern US, Connecticut has a number of older lodge buildings, many of them built in the early 1900s or even before. While many of these buildings are located in the center of their respective towns, these historic buildings were often poorly maintained, and the funds for much needed capital improvements were often neglected by the members from the 1960s until today. Indeed, it’s not unusual for lodges to lack air conditioning or updated heating systems, proper kitchen and dining areas, or in some cases, even modern bathroom facilities.

“While some members of the fraternity might see their facilities as ‘quaint,’ the sad fact is that many members of the public, including potential members, see them as ‘antiquated,’ ‘dated,’ or just plain ‘old,’ and it becomes a real turn-off,” said Grand Master Simon LaPlace. “Unfortunately, many of the lodges were short-sighted and skimped on saving money for improvements, and with the lack of new members, they simply can’t afford to put the necessary thousands of dollars into building improvements, and many of them are just barely able to keep up with the basic maintenance. This is why we are introducing this plan, which should help them to raise the money to bring the facilities up to date.”

The new program, called the Building & Organization Allied Sponsorship, or BOAS, allows lodges to partner with local or even national businesses and organizations in order to have a committed source of revenue that would be put toward building and grounds improvements, and updating the facilities inside the buildings. Lodges could look forward to new or updated lighting, handicap access, internet and wifi service, and cable tv, as well as kitchen and dining equipment, general upkeep, and yes, even more modern bathroom facilities.

When questioned about the criticisms that BOAS would lead to Freemasonry as being seen as “too public,” the Grand Master dismissed the concerns. “Corporate sponsored venues have been around for years,” he said. “A few large corporations put their names on ball fields, and nobody bats an eye. But a business puts a name on a small, little lodge, and everyone loses their minds.” Indeed, a quick survey showed that most people could not remember the previous names of the Xfinity Theater or the Comcast Theaters, although most people also did not remember that Toyota now sponsors the Oakdale Theater in Wallingford — ironically, the town in which the Grand Lodge of Connecticut is located.

A large concern for some is that the Connecticut Grand Lodge gets a percentage of the BOAS funds, and will start pressuring all of the state lodges or buildings to find businesses to partner with, or worse, may penalize some of the lodges for not doing so. “Grand Lodge needs to make money, too,” responded Grand Master Simon LaPlace. “None of those guys complaining think twice about spending money on a mocha latte several times a week; but if Grand Lodge asks for a five or ten dollar per member increase, suddenly we’re the evil empire. Sure, times are tough, but we’re talking about giving up the equivalent of a couple of coffees and donuts in a year.” He looked around and added “And believe me, many of our brothers could certainly afford to go without a donut once in a while.”

Not surprisingly, not all of the Masons are happy about this program. “It’s nothing more than plain, old Grand Lodge greed. They don’t actually care about the lodges, they just care about getting their cut of the action.” said one Past Master who refused to be named. “That’s not what we used to do back in the old days,” said another, “Back in 1968, when I was Master of the lodge, when we needed money, the wives around the lodge would help hold a bake sale, and we hit everyone with a ten dollar special assessment. Why, we once raised over a thousand dollars, which was enough to put on whole a new roof!”

That’s not the attitude voiced by everyone, however. Many more members, and not necessarily the younger ones, seem to approve of BOAS. Several lodges around the state have already been testing the idea, and indeed, at least one partnership is in the final stages. “We have been fortunate to partner with a large, nationally recognized corporation that is known for its aggressive community outreach,” said a District Deputy from the 4th District. “We are just finalizing some details, like the new sign placement and promotional spots, and within a few weeks everybody should be seeing some big changes at the new McDonald’s Masonic Center of New Haven.”

For the rest of the article, go to the Tao of Masonry.

Wilmington, PA Lodge Masonic Symposium Sept. 20

Wilmington Lodge No. 804 in Wilmington, Pennsylvania will hold its first annual Masonic Symposium on Saturday, September 20, 2014 from 9:00AM until 5:00PM. They have a total of four Masonic Speakers that are experts in their respective areas. These brothers are Shawn M. Gorley, Master Masonic Scholar and author of "Freemasonry Defined" and writer for "The Working Tools Masonic Magazine", Master Masonic Scholar Adam T. Osman and author of "Earning Freemasonry", Charles Harper Sr. author of "Freemasonry in Black and White and Juan Sepulveda owner of the well known podcast "The Winding Stairs" as well as a member of the Youtube Masonic show "The Masonic Roundtable. Brother Sepulveda is also a prominent artist specializing in Masonic art.

For the price of admission you get three meals starting with a breakfast of donuts coffee and juice. A lunch of pulled pork and choice of sides and a full dinner, not your typical after meeting cold cuts! 

This will be a day of highly entertaining speakers that will fully engage with the audience and encourage Q&A and open discussion. The respective speakers have a wealth of experience in giving presentations and talks and have all done so all over the country. This will be the first time all of them will be together under one roof at the same time and assures to be not only educational but fun. There will be several breaks throughout the day and the speakers will have their books and artwork available for purchase and signing.

The seating is limited to 100 people to keep it comfortable and to also encourage visitation and meeting Brethren from all areas that will be in attendance. Unfortunately they cannot offer refunds, once a ticket is purchased the sale is final, this is because of the catering so that they know exactly how much food to bring without running short.

For those of you that may be traveling great distances please look for motels in the Hermitage, Sharon and New Castle Pennsylvania areas. If there are any further questions please do not hesitate to contact the host Shawn M. Gorley at 724-730-1812 or email at shawn@drivenbylight.net and include symposium in the subject area.

Tickets are $30 and are available here online.

GL of Kansas Adopts Background Checks

Michael Halleran, the new Grand Master of Kansas, reports that Kansas adopted a new resolution calling for mandatory background checks of new members at its annual meeting on March 21st. This is after two years of the program being done by edict. The previous two years showed that the program did not scare off potential members or affect membership in any way. This is a welcome change and one that should be adopted nationwide.

Man Tries To Burn Down Grand Lodge in Boston

From CBS in Boston:

A man was arrested for allegedly trying to burn down the Masonic Temple Lodge on Tremont Street in Boston Monday night.

Boston Fire officials say the man entered the building and sprayed a liquid onto some furniture and attempted to ignite it. 

He was detained by a security officer and then arrested by Boston Police.The man, who was not identified, will be charged with attempting to burn a place of worship.

Boynton Lodge Esoteric Research Group Presents W. Kirk MacNulty

Renowned Masonic author W. Kirk MacNulty will speak at the Boynton (Florida) Lodge Esoteric Research Group on Saturday, April 12th, 2014. He has been a Freemason for over forty years, and is a member of Lodges in American and Great Britain. His publications include Freemasonry Symbols, Secrets, Significance; Way of the Craftman: A Search for the Spiritual Essence of Craft Freemasonry and Freemasonry: A Journey through Ritual and Symbol. He is  Friar No. 94 of the Blue Friars.


The day will be divided into four sessions: an Introduction to the Symbolism of the Craft Degrees, followed by Symbolism of each of the Craft degrees. Lunch is included in the price of the ticket. The sessions will end at 3:00 PM.

The seminar is only open to Master Masons, and you must present a valid Lodge dues card and ID for admission. Suit or jacket with a tie are also required. Tickets are $30 each, and there is limited seating available. As of this writing, only 37 seats remain, so reserve now.

The event will held at Boynton Lodge No. 236, located at 2701 Quantum Blvd., Boynton Beach, Florida.

For more information and ticket purchases, see here.

Masonic Society Welcomes 2500th Member

This morning Secretary Nathan Brindle of the Masonic Society entered our 2,500th new member since we began on May 1, 2008. Welcome member #02500, Bro. Wayne Harrison!

This doesn't mean we have 2500 current members. Like any other organization, we've have attrition over nearly 6 years of existence. But we do have just under 1300 members as of today! Why not join us and help us keep growing?

http://themasonicsociety.com/join

Grand Lodge of Ireland

Take a photographic tour of the Grand Lodge of Ireland here. A magnificent building! Freemasons' Hall, Molesworth Street in Dublin. The building is open for tours Monday-Friday, at 2:30pm, or by appointment, by calling 01-6761337.

Pleiades Lodge #478 Masonic Education Symposium April 26th

The 1st Annual Pleiades Lodge No. 478, 2014 Masonic Education Symposium will be held April 26, 2014. 

Anthony Mongelli, author of The Craftsman Symbology, Charles M. Harper Sr., author of Freemasonry in Black and White, Robert Herd, author of The Initiatic Experience, and keynote speaker, Mir Omar Ali, Past Grand Chaplin and current member of the Board of Grand Examiners of the Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Illinois, all in one event! 

Education, Festive Board and Fellowship, lunch and Festive Board for only $20.00!!!!! 

8 a.m.- Coffee and Donuts

9 a.m.- Welcoming by Worshipful Brother Stephen Valle of Pleiades Lodge no. 478 

9:15 a.m.- Bro. Anthony Mongelli and The Craftsman Symbology 

10:30 a.m.- Bro. Charles M. Harper Sr. and Cultural Relativism in Freemasonry 

11:45 a.m. - Lunch in Dinning Hall 

12:30 p.m. - R.W.B. Robert Herd Leadership Seminar 

4:p.m. - Festive Board with Keynote Speaker: R.W.B. Mir Omar Ali 

Limited Seating Event!!! Only 100 tickets to be sold!!!
All authors are featured writers for the Living Stones Magazine, with Robert Herd being the Owner/Editor. The magazine can be found athttp://www.livingstonesmagazine.com

Tickets are limited and going fast. For tickets and general information: http://pleiadesmasonicsymposium.eventbrite.com/

Pleiades Lodge #478 is located at Westchester Masonic Temple, 10210 Canturbury Street, Westchester, Illinois.

Masons Win Legal Battle Over Detroit Temple Ownership

The Masons have won their legal battle over ownership of their one of a kind Temple building.

From the Detroit News today:

The Masons have won their legal battle over who owns Detroit’s Masonic Temple, the largest building of its kind.

“We won! All counts related to any claims of ownership of the Masonic is over. It it is clearly owned by the Masons,” said Bradley Dizik, special adviser to the Masonic Temple’s board of trustees.

Dizik was referring to a Tuesday ruling by Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Leslie Kim Smith that dismissed claims by a former management company they had an ownership stake in the institution, according to Dizik, who is attorney and a consultant in the case.

The Masonic Temple Association of Detroit, which owns the Masonic Temple, booted the management company, Halberd Holdings, out of the facility in 2012. The association claimed, among other things, that Halberd was ruining the temple’s reputation by not paying its bills and hiring felons.

It came at time when the 1,037-room facility faced a financial crisis. The News revealed in April the Cass Corridor institution owed Wayne County $152,000 in back taxes. It faced being sold at the annual auction of foreclosed properties. Bidding for the 14-story Gothic structure, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, would have started at $160,000. The Mason’s claimed that it was never in danger of being sold in foreclosure and they had worked out a deal with county officials.

But the news motivated Detroit-born rocker Jack White to step forward, out of the blue, and pay the tax bill.

It also sparked East Coast attorney Dizik, a third-generation Mason originally from Farmington Hills, to move to Detroit to help get the 88-year-old building back in order. Dizik helped broker a deal with DTE Energy Co.,which had threatened to shut off the power because of a $300,000 overdue bill. That bill has already been greatly reduced and should be paid off by the end of this year, Dizik said.

The biggest threat was Halberd’s ownership claim.

Some of the investors that once made up Halberd have split up, including former Detroit Lions star Mel Farr and Donald Foss, founder of Credit Acceptance Corp, according to court documents. The two remaining principals are Michael Smith, a Mount Clemens attorney, and New York filmmaker Matthew Mazer.

Halberd’s attorney, Norman Yatooma, could not be reached for comment.

There remain some claims and counter-claims between Halberd and the Masons, all of which should be resolved by end of summer, attorneys for the Masons said Tuesday.

The best is yet to come for the Masonic, Dizik says.

The Masonic is now in the heart of the planned 45-block entertainment district that is to be anchored by the new home for the Detroit Red Wings. That arena will be built across the street from the Masonic Temple.

Late last year, the Masons hired The Crofoot to help book shows at the facility, which has resulted in more concerts. Upcoming shows include comedian Katt Williams, the local rocker Rodriguez and singer Lana Del Rey.

laguilar@detroitnews.com
Twitter: LouisAguilar_DN

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140311/BIZ03/303110089#ixzz2vh2w7e4j

Volume 2 of Bound Short Talk Bulletins Available For Preorder

The Masonic Service Association of North America is embarking on a monumental publishing effort. The MSA has published a Short Talk Bulletin virtually every month since 1923. Now, they are assembling these gems of Masonic education into bound volumes, freshly edited and typeset. It is now  possible to own complete bound sets on subjects that range from Masonic history, symbolism, philosophy and biographies.

Volume 2 (1938-1952) of five projected volumes will be available soon, featuring an index and more than 700 pages. Subsequent volumes will be published every 9-12 months. All profits will be used to support MSA activities. The books are edited by Brother S. Brent Morris, editor of the Scottish Rite Journal. It follows the successful launch last year of Volume 1 of the series. When the series is completed, all 90 years of Short Talk Bulletins will be published in this attractive, re-edited, re-typeset, and indexed version.

Three options are planned.

The Master Mason Edition will be bound in linen fabric with sewn signatures. Price: $90 + $8 shipping (Pre-publication price: $60 + $8 shipping if ordered before September 1st, 2013).

The Lodge Edition is identical to the Master Mason edition, but lodges may order 1 copy per lodge for $50 + $8 shipping, only if paid for with a Lodge check. Must be ordered before September 1st, 2013.

The Grand Master Edition is bonded leather binding, with gilt edges, and satin book marks, and autographed. Price is $150 + $8 shipping. Pre-publication price is $115 + $8 shipping if ordered before September 1st, 2014.

Shipping costs are for U.S. orders only. Please contact the MSANA for non-U.S. orders.

Volume 2 will be printed in Fall 2014 for delivery before Christmas.

Order online herehttp://shopping.msana.com/product.php?product=26.